A site for residents of Prince's Ward, SE11, in the London Borough of Lambeth. Check for updates from your Labour Action Team's campaigning, local information, and meetings.

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Victory for Whitgift Street residents as Planning Inspector throws out Fire Brigade scheme for blocking out the light

In a major victory for residents of Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street, the Planning Inspectorate has thrown out the appeal by developers of the Fire Brigade Headquarters sites.

Lambeth Council's planning committee rejected the scheme back in December 2011, but the developers appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. An Inquiry was held in February and March this year.

The scheme would have developed the site sitting immediately opposite Whitgift House, replacing the low-rise warehouses with two huge slab towers of 12 storeys and 15 storeys, which would have blocked out most of the light reaching the residents on the other side of the road. The Planning Inspector agreed that the reduction in light to Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street was unacceptable, and rejected the developers' appeal.

He stated: 'there would be harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of Whitgift House and 2 Whitgift Street as a result of loss of daylight which would be a substantial loss of amenity.'

Local residents represented their interests at the Inquiry, presenting their own case to the Inspector. Councillor Mark Harrison and Kate Hoey MP supported residents by giving evidence at the Inquiry.

Mark said: 'I'm delighted that the Inspector has listened to residents of Whitgift Street and recognised this development would block out the light from their home lives. This decision vindicates residents' long and effective campaign, for which they deserve huge congratulations. They have shown that bullying developers can be defeated. We welcome new homes and new jobs in Lambeth, but not at any price. I hope a new proposal for these important sites comes forward which respects the rights of existing residents and brings the benefits from development which Lambeth needs and expect.'